1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote communication apparatus, and more particularly to a remote communication apparatus for use in video conference. The present invention also relates to a remote communication method for such apparatus.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, remote communication systems for communication for participants in remote locations have been actively researched. Such a remote communication system catches the voice of a participant by a microphone, captures the image of the participant by an imaging device, and transmits the voice and image to a remote location, where they are reproduced in real time, thus being able to convey the state of the participant to another participant in the remote location.
Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 223551/1996 to Shimada discloses a remote communication system implementing remote communication with the feeling of on-site conversation. Specifically, Shimada discloses a video conference system applicable to a remote location where plural participants stay, and directing a video camera to one of the participants who speaks more or most loudly to be considered as a predominant talker in the conversation. On the video monitor of the video conference system, the user can focally watch the image of the predominant participant talking in the remote location.
More specifically, the video conference system taught by Shimada includes, in addition to a video camera, a couple of microphones, one for capturing voice and the other for sensing the direction of a predominant speaker talking louder. The other, or direction-sensing microphone, captures voice, from which the maximum sound pressure is detected to determine which of the participants speaks most loudly, i.e. predominant talker. Then, according to the determination, the video camera and the one microphone, i.e. sound-collecting microphone, are controlled so as to be oriented to the direction of the predominant talker.
In the video conference system of Shimada, the video camera captures the prevailing talker, whose image is used to extract the edge or outline of a subject whose image is to be captured, while the video camera is controlled in its orientation so as to render the edge thus extracted match with a predetermined pattern. This enables the image of the predominant talker to be viewed at the proper position on the screen of a video monitor.
However, although the video conference system of the prior art can thus determine the detection of a predominant talker, it fails to detect the distance from the video camera to a predominant participant.